Discover Your Core Sin

How an ancient personality test--the Enneagram--can help you determine the root of your strongest temptations.

Discover Your Core Sin

Ever wonder why you struggle with the same things over and over? According to some psychologists, it's because you have a core sin tendency--a deep-set temptation that compels you to make the same types of mistakes. Those mistakes may not all look the same, but they may be connected by your core temptation to be proud. Or greedy. Or afraid. Or angry. Or something else--you may not even be able to say what.

But we can help.

Spiritual directors such as Father Richard Rohr and Dr. David Benner have helped people discover their core sins by using the Enneagram, an ancient personality tool that focuses on nine fatal flaws that are common to many people. The Enneagram is a unique tool, and anyone serious about using it should consult Father Rohr's The Enneagram: A Christian Perspective as a starting point. But to get you started, click through our list of the nine sin types, each of which the Enneagram assigns a number (you are either a One, a Two, a Three, and so on). For each type, we've highlighted the related sin tendency. At the end, we'll offer some thoughts on finding yourself in this list.